Madam Chair, you won't be surprised by the nature of the point of order. In general, things are going smoothly with interpretation and there are no worries. I commend the interpreters for their work. They're doing an amazing job.
I just want to point out to you though that, when you have two and a half minutes, you're a member of the second opposition, and you ask a 30-second question and, because of an issue with interpretation, the witness doesn't hear the question and you have to start over, you've lost 50% of your speaking time on that. In addition, I would like to point out that, if we look at the videos, and I might invite you to do so, all the anglophone members who ask questions of anglophone witnesses don't have that problem and get an immediate answer.
I agree that it's easier when you attend the meeting in person, but today, there's an issue with that. In the last round, the time to ask the question wasn't considered, as well as the time to ask it again. I think that's detrimental. I just wanted to say that and I won't spend an hour on it. There are witnesses and I want to respect the fact that they are here.
Last week, we celebrated the International Day of La Francophonie. Members rise in the House and make a show of saying that the francophonie is important, but you have to live it on a daily basis. For me, it's a question of the official languages.
As a member of Parliament, it is not normal for me to get 10%, 15% or 20% less speaking time when the witness does not speak the same official language as I do, does not understand the question and I have to take 40 seconds to ask it again because there was some interference over which I have no control. I want to make you aware of that.
To conclude, I am not asking for a privilege. I'm not asking for more speaking time than anyone else. I'm not asking to ask more questions than what is stipulated in the Standing Orders or the motion from the start of the legislature. I would however rather not have any less time for reasons that are purely technical and beyond my control and that prevent me, as a francophone, from doing my job as a parliamentarian in accordance with the motion adopted at the beginning of the legislature.